With Pitbull stepping away as a part-owner of Trackhouse Racing, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. being very open about owning a Cup team, this got me thinking—could this open the door for JR Motorsports (JRM) to finally enter the NASCAR Cup Series?

After his top-10 finish in the Daytona 500, Dale Jr. made it clear that he wants to be involved at the Cup level:

“This helped me understand that I do want to be here.”

He also confirmed that JRM is ready for full-time Cup conversations and is open to running more races this season if the right partner comes along.

The Trackhouse Connection

A partnership between JRM and Trackhouse isn’t as far-fetched as it might seem. In fact, the two organizations already work together in the Xfinity Series. JR Motorsports will field the No. 9 Chevrolet in nine 2025 Xfinity Series racesfor Trackhouse Racing drivers Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen.

Beyond that:

• Trackhouse and JRM are both Chevrolet teams, making a partnership logistically seamless.
• Trackhouse owns the No. 88 charter, the same number Dale Jr. ran for years at Hendrick Motorsports.
• Trackhouse also runs the No. 1, which was a DEI number for years with Steve Park and Martin Truex Jr. behind the wheel. Between the No. 1 and No. 88, Trackhouse already carries a strong Earnhardt legacy, and Dale Jr. stepping in could further solidify that connection.
• With Trackhouse’s rapid growth and Dale Jr.’s desire to enter Cup, this could be a perfect match.

The Hendrick Hiccup

One potential roadblock is Hendrick Motorsports’ reliance on JRM for Xfinity races. Hendrick fields select entries in the Xfinity Series each year using JRM equipment and personnel. If JRM transitions to Cup ownership, would they still balance both series, or would Hendrick need to find a new Xfinity partner? That’s a question that would need answering if JRM takes the next step.

Despite this, the pieces seem to be in place for an Earnhardt-Trackhouse partnership to make sense. Could we see JR Motorsports align with Trackhouse to bring JRM to the Cup Series full-time?

Let us know what you think—would this be a smart move for NASCAR’s future?

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